We Have Arrived!

We’re here! And we still love each other!

We left the house at about 10:30, stopped on the Mass Turnpike before the turn off for I-84 to New York for a quick pee break, then were back on the road. We stopped at a McDonald’s in Waterbury, CT (yeah, yeah, I know, McDonald’s – it was fast and easy. Besides, Beanie still calls it “Chickie-Donald’s, and I love that), then we drove straight through and arrived in Bethel, PA at about six. I’m posting from a Comfort Inn with wireless internet (thank you, Mr. Chili!).

There’s really nothing out here – lots of green and fields and not much else. We’re trying to figure out where to go for dinner – we’re meeting up with BoBo and his family (who are at an amusement park in Hershey). Tomorrow, we’ll go to Hershey to do the chocolate tour thing, then we will probably drive to Maryland for Dudley’s party through Gettysburg (I went to Gettysburg years and years ago with Mr. Chili, but we didn’t take pictures.  Go figure). We’ll stay near Dudley’s tomorrow night, then spend part of Sunday in D.C.

More later!

I Don’t CARE if You Don’t Have to Go…

…TRY!

Yes, that’s right! The great Chili Family Car Vacation Adventure is about to begin. Mr. Chili’s gone to get the rental, Punkin’ and Beanie are doing the last-minute cleaning of their room (yes, I am forcing them to live my obsession), and I’m double-checking the gear and unplugging things we’re not going to need in the next week and a half (t.v.s, the airport, the printer, things like that).

Mr. Chili and I were chatting this early morning (after the bird came to see us – more on that later) and he determined that the lengths of the legs of our trip are not necessarily going to be decided by traffic or road conditions, or by the fatigue of the driver. Nope! How long we drive at a stretch is going to be entierly determined by the size of Beanie’s bladder. Knowing this is somehow a relief (no pun intended); a recognition that we’re willing to take it as it comes, so to speak, and enjoy the journey.

We’ve already told the girls they’re not allowed to ask “how much longer” or “are we there yet”. We’ve given them maps and highlighters; they’re going to trace our trip as we go – when they’re not doing other things. They each have bags packed with car-friendly activities, and I got some audiobooks from the library (Artemis Fowl for them and The Minister’s Daughter for me – unlike my girls, I cannot read in a car. That should have gone on Tuesday’s list). Once we get into New York, the scenery will all be different for me, and I’ll be mostly content to just look out the window.

Our goal is Hershey, PA by dinnertime. Hopefully, I’ll post notice that we made it, but I don’t know what the internet access is going to be like, so try to be patient with me.

Go pee, buckle up, and don’t kick the seat. We’ll get there when we get there.